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  1. #1
    Martin lehman's Avatar
    Martin lehman Guest

    Default Seller want's me to fix item...

    I accidentally broke a child safety device on a stove door (basically a little plastic strap). Seller's "mad as hell" and wants me to fix it.

    What is the best route to take as far as fixing the strap?
    I feel like I should tell them to have the work done and give me the bill. This way I am not resposible as much as if I had done the work. Also with child safety involved, I dont want to be responsible for installing the device when in the worse case scinario it fails an the child gets hurt.

    What are your thoughts?

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Philadelphia PA
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    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    "Seller's "mad as hell""
    Sometimes you just want to ask people like this if they really want to sell their house.
    I think offering to pay for it to be fixed is fine.
    They probably expect you to pay for a body guard for their kid until it's fixed.
    I often find myself quoting an ex-columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer: "People are idiots".
    End of rant.

    "There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception." -James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961)
    www.ArnoldHomeInspections.com

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    i once cracked the glass on a picture frame that was layed down on the floor of a closet and covered with a towel. The owner said it was very expensive. I said get it fixed and have your lawyer send me the name and address of the person he would like the check sent to.
    The lawyer faxed me a page with my name and address on it, nothing else. Just my name and address with his signature, so I wrote myself a check and deposited into my account. I have not heard from them since.
    True story! Broker hasn't called either. Can you believe it?


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
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    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    I'd let the seller know that your willing to pay for it since you broke it, and you'll have an appliance repair company call them to set up the appt.


  5. #5
    Tim Moreira's Avatar
    Tim Moreira Guest

    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    You could always use Jerry's line of ...sorry but it failed under test.


  6. #6
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    Spring City/Surrounding Philadelphia area
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    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    Go to the local Babys R'Us, buy an identical safety strap, offer to mail it to sellers or to stop by an install it personally.


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Rockwall Texas
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    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    Martin

    I'm curious if the sellers actually had anti-tip on the range. Some of these parents nowadays do everything they think is "child-safe".

    Not a bad thing for sure, but some take it a bit far I think. There's a company here in town that comes out to your home and makes sure its "baby safe". Charges these parents out the wazoo.

    Had a home the other day that had each receptacles packed with those child proof devices. What happened when you just told your kid to leave them alone.

    Child gates blocking off every room in the house.
    Elephant trunks on the tub spouts to prevent the kid from bumping his head in the tub.
    Listening devices everywhere.
    Some nuclear device that stores up a month of crappy diapers.
    Bottled soy milk. Whats that all about?
    Have you seen the nipples for bottles nowadays? Dolly Pardon would be jealous.
    Had a lady last week tell me her daughter had their poor dogs vocal cords surgically removed because the poor kid cried each time the dog barked. Heck, my kids slept through listening to Ted Nugent and Frampton years ago cranked up on the old Yamaha stereo that I paid a month worth of salary for.
    Bottled water. My poor kids drank it right from the tap.
    What a bunch of wimps we're raising.

    Glad my kids are grown.

    Rick


  8. #8
    Richard Rushing's Avatar
    Richard Rushing Guest

    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    Water from the tap...

    We must have been on the wrong side of the tracks! My kids were just told to drink out of the water hose.

    Rich


  9. #9
    Tim Moreira's Avatar
    Tim Moreira Guest

    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    Rick,

    I agree totally. When my brother and I were growing up it was a different world I guess. When mom or dad said "don't do that" we didn't...or else.

    Dad only had to ask once nicely to get something done. There was no second time.

    We lived on a salt water canal with a seawall. If you fell off the seawall at low tide, you ended up on an oyster bed shredded. So mom and dad said *Don't go near the edge of the seawall* Guess what, my brother and I never fell in and got hurt. There were no safety gates or audible alarms like today. There was just mom doing *her job* called *parenting*.

    I agree that all of the safety devices that are out there today came about because of child injuries and deaths and are a good thing. However, I don't believe parents are minding their children the same today as in the past.

    True society has changed and most parents, unlike mine, have to work 3 jobs between them just to make ends meet. So parental time with the kids is very limited as to what it was when we were growing up.

    Today kids are raised by the grandparents, day care, or worst yet...a total stranger that parents put their faith and trust into.

    It is ashamed the way society is changing. I think we were much better off the way it was. One parent working one job and the other parent home to watch and raise the kids properly.

    Of course, today if the parent raises their voice to their kid, child services and all of the other do gooders what to rush in and take the kids away and lock the parents up. Well my brother and I got some a** beatings that would make the folks at child services cringe. But guess what, were still alive, our little psyche isn't damaged and neither of us ever ended up in trouble with the law. That's because daddy was a lot scarier that the law.

    OK, I'm getting myself worked up into a rant here so I'll stop now before my fingers get carpel tunnel and I can't type my reports anymore

    IMHO


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Spring Hill (Nashville), TN
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    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    Tell the seller that you will take care of the safety strap. Ask them what they want? Do they want you to pay them for the strap? Do they want you to buy a new strap and give it to them? Just what do they want you to do!

    I would go and buy a $25 Gift Card from Home Depot, Lowe's or whoever and give it to them... Then they can do as they want.

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  11. #11
    Joseph P. Hagarty's Avatar
    Joseph P. Hagarty Guest

    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski View Post
    Go to the local Babys R'Us, buy an identical safety strap, offer to mail it to sellers or to stop by an install it personally.
    Was the protection device "factory installed"?

    Was the failure of the part / appliance due to improper installation?

    I go with the failed under testing scenario.


  12. #12
    Martin lehman's Avatar
    Martin lehman Guest

    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    Thanks for all your replies.
    This was an older stove from around 1950's, but in decent shape. There was absolutely no anti-tip on the stove, and these plastic straps were locking the oven doors (they look loke giant zip-ties) - somehing you buy at home depot or babys r us.


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Philadelphia PA
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    Default Re: Seller want's me to fix item...

    No one around here knows about anti-tipping devices on stoves. I get blank looks when I tell people about them. It's always nice when the stove is new enough that you can show them the warning label on the inside of the door.

    "There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception." -James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961)
    www.ArnoldHomeInspections.com

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